Selectae quaedam Orationes Piem ac devotem homini Christiano dicendae.

[Miniature Manuscript Prayer Book] AGRICOLA (Thomas)

Selectae quaedam Orationes Piem ac devotem homini Christiano dicendae.

Description: title with ornate calligraphic lattice-work border in blue ink with leaves and tendrils in gold, title capitals and date also in gold, text double-ruled in purple, rubricated throughout with headline in red on every page decorated with gold dots, leaves and lozenges, numerous ornate gilt capitals, two miniatures (both somewhat blurred), p.96 & 145, the latter painted on mounted parchment square, with ornate polychrome floral border at gutter margin, similar margin p.67 with space for miniature and traces of mounting, upper margin cropped affecting some text, fore-margin cropped excising most of original Roman foliation, later pagination supplied in black ink at upper margin, a few faint marks, p. [ii], 240, 12mo, seventeenth-century black calf (probably Italian) with delicate gilt-tooled border, spine richly gilt in four panels, gilt edges, pastedowns with green and gilt floral patterned paper, brittle calf board surface, edges worn, damage at head of spine with slightly loss, housed in custom clam-shell box, good

Publication Details: Ad Usum Magistri Thomae Agricolae, 1568

Notes: A delightful miniature 'vade mecum' prayer book, written in a precise, clear hand throughout and extremely well-preserved, comprising prayers and oratory texts to the major saints of the Roman Catholic Church. including Pope Leo the Great (p.1), St. Augustine (p.54), Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage (p.67), Thomas Aquinas (p.81) and Ambrose, Bishop of Milan (p. 196). The first miniature, depicting a kneeling figure before Christ on the cross, framed by a sky of pink and blue, accompanies the text 'Confessio dicenda ante imaginem Christi', while the second, also a crucifix, with several figures belo...moreA delightful miniature 'vade mecum' prayer book, written in a precise, clear hand throughout and extremely well-preserved, comprising prayers and oratory texts to the major saints of the Roman Catholic Church. including Pope Leo the Great (p.1), St. Augustine (p.54), Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage (p.67), Thomas Aquinas (p.81) and Ambrose, Bishop of Milan (p. 196). The first miniature, depicting a kneeling figure before Christ on the cross, framed by a sky of pink and blue, accompanies the text 'Confessio dicenda ante imaginem Christi', while the second, also a crucifix, with several figures below in a variety of colours with a touch of gold, illustrates 'Orationes Sanctae Brigatae'. A prayer against thunder, lightning and storm, 'Oratio contrata tonitrua, fulgura, et tempestatem (p.192) is also included and the work ends with 'Quinque laudes a domino Jesu christo cuidam religioso revelate.'It seems likely that the Thomas Agricola in question is the priest commemorated in a memorial plaque in Augsburg Cathedral cloister which records the year of his death as 1598; he appears to have been appointed to a Collegiate parish in 1575 (Zeitschrift des Historischen Vereius fur Schwaber und Neuburg, 1880). HIDE